SANTA MONICA — The city of
Santa Monica wants to encourage residents to conserve more water as of January 29.

Be water wise, says the City Council.

Because of drought conditions that the state is currently facing, the City Council is asking that residents cut back on using too much water, according to a news release from the city. Specifically, the hope is that residents can reduce their water usage by 20 percent from the usage numbers of 2013.

“With the driest year in recorded history and the second drought in five years to be declared by the Governor, it is imperative that
Santa Monica use its water supplies efficiently,” said Mayor Pam O'Connor.

The city gets 70 percent of its supply from local groundwater, with the rest being imported from the Metropolitan Water District (MWD), where it gets its water supply from Northern California and the
Colorado River. Because both are being heavily affected by the drought, the city wants to push its residents to be wise about their water usage.

The three tips it gives to residents for reduced water usage includes checking for and fixing leaks, cutting back on watering gardens and replacing your toilet. In fact, the city is offering a $50 rebate for new toilets purchased until June, provided they have a WaterSense label on them.

Should drought conditions continue into the summer or if water usage restrictions are not met, the city will implement a “Stage 1 Water Shortage,” which will designate allocations of water use for residents and businesses. If they are found to go over these allocations during the billing periods, then they can face a penalty depending on much they go over.

To remedy this, the city is also offering rebates for the installation of water sustainable features like water-saving drip irrigation systems and rain cisterns. The release points out that the city doled out more than 400 rebates in 2013 for “water saving products.”